We’ve all heard the saying, ‘prevention is better than cure’ but how many of us truly know how important this message is? Well, honestly maybe just the people who have suffered through some disease and later realized they could have done some very simple things to avoid the disorder. One such ailment is piles. Affecting nearly half the population of the world at some point in life, piles or hemorrhoids are fairly common worldwide. In most cases the condition cures itself, even though in some cases piles treatment or surgery is needed. While how piles affects a person and what type and degree of piles one gets depends on many factors, there are some things one can do to avoid the problem completely. Here are some easy to follow tips to prevent piles.

Formation Of Hemorrhoids

To prevent piles one must first realize why they are caused and what they are. You get piles or hemorrhoids when the veins within the anal cavity swell and grow larger. The swelling causes a loss of elasticity in the muscles and eventually these veins hang like small sacks out of the walls of your rectum. While some piles that are internal are painless and only cause bleeding, when they have been hanging out of the anus for a period develop blood clots which can be quite painful and uncomfortable. The causes of piles are many. Some of them are straining for prolonged periods of time while having bowel movements, diarrhea or constipation, low fiber diets that cause constipation, lack of exercise, chronic coughing that puts pressure on the rectum, heavy medication causing constipation, pregnancy or child birth, etc.

Prevention of piles lies in diet and lifestyle changes for the most part. A high fiber diet and some exercise is the answer. Incorporate fiber rich foods and fruit in your daily diet. This will help prevent piles and give you normal bowel movements. Most fruits are rich in fiber too, plus they provide your body with enough natural vitamins and antioxidants. Junk food should be kept on the minimum. You can indulge in fast food and whatever you want to eat once in a while, but stick to home-made nutritious food most days. Junk food is mostly fried and high in calories. This also translates into fat and weight gain in the long run. People who are overweight are more prone to getting piles and other serious diseases, so watch your weight and eat smart! Also, make sure you drink lots of water and juices to keep your body hydrated and your stools soft.

Exercising is a big part of living a healthy life. Most of us are so used to a sedentary lifestyle that we are sitting most hours of the day. Sitting for long hours put a lot of strain on your buttock muscles making them weak and in turn affecting the hemorrhoids vein within the anal cavity. If you have a job that keeps you seated for long periods, start taking break and walking around every now and then. Also take up some sport or exercise routine to maintain optimum health.

Many of us believe that we must have a routine in our daily lives. We wake up, have our first cup of tea or coffee and go to the toilet for a bowel movement. If our body is not ready to excrete, we strain ourselves to do so, no matter how long we are just sitting there are trying to do it. This is very wrong. Your body will tell you when it needs to go. And you must avoid forcing bowel movements or stopping them in case you need to go. Simply, go as soon as you need to.